“Everyone has redeeming qualities,” said the owner of an Oregon long-term care facility during a presentation at a national conference where we were both speaking. He continued, “When we fire people without giving them every chance to improve, we’re communicating that people are dispensable and don’t have value. Another approach might be to assess their skill set and place them in an environment where they can thrive.”
I’ve written about this before – hire slow, fire fast is a mantra that management gurus have espoused for years. But this mindset can destroy morale and erode performance, often with immediate negative results.
I’ve been thinking a lot about this concept as college football coaches are, or soon will be, losing their jobs. It hits close to home because Mike Norvell, head football coach at Florida State University – where I earned my graduate degree – is in a “win or be fired” position right now.
Earlier this year, my son and I had the opportunity to meet Coach Norvell and we both were impressed with the culture he is building and his emphasis on player character development. However, his team is having a rough season and struggled in 2024 as well. If he loses his job at FSU, the university will spend an estimated $100 million to buy out his contract, fire his assistants, and hire a new coaching staff.
While changes may sometimes be necessary, the firing of Norvell and hiring of a new staff likely won’t result in a quick turnaround.
This situation is very similar to what happens in many workplaces. When things don’t go well, we look for a quick fix. It’s easy to point a finger at one person, one leader, or one underperforming department and assume they’re the only problem. However, it’s almost never just one thing.
If your company, department, or team is underperforming, it may not just be the leader. Before making a major change, consider the following factors:
Organizational and Cultural Factors
- Company Culture Alignment: Assess whether current or potential leaders align with the organization’s core values, culture, and long-term vision.
- Employee Morale and Engagement: Understand how a leadership change might impact staff motivation, team or player retention, and trust.
- Internal Communication Climate: Evaluate how transparent, consistent, and effective communication is across all levels.
Performance and Strategic Factors
- Historical Performance Trends: Review financial, operational, and customer metrics over time to identify underlying issues versus leadership-related challenges.
- Strategic Direction: Ensure leaders align with the organization’s short- and long-term strategic plans.
- Succession Planning: Confirm there’s a clear plan for continuous improvement.
Stakeholder and External Factors
- Board and Investor Confidence: Gauge how key stakeholders – board members, investors, and partners – may react to leadership transitions.
- Customer and Community Perception: Anticipate how leadership shifts could affect brand reputation and customer loyalty.
- Regulatory or Industry Constraints: Consider any compliance, contractual, or legal implications related to leadership changes.
Timing and Implementation Factors
- Timing and Market Conditions: Evaluate whether the timing is right for a transition, given the company’s stability, project cycles, and market volatility.
- Transition Plan and Communication Strategy: Develop a clear plan for announcing and managing the change to minimize disruption.
- Support Systems: Ensure adequate onboarding, coaching, and resources are in place for incoming leaders to succeed.
Leadership transitions are some of the most consequential decisions an organization can make. Before pulling the trigger, take a step back to look at the full picture. Sometimes the right move isn’t to replace the leader or coach but to make changes to the environment, evaluate expectations, or provide tools, time, and training to improve.
True leadership isn’t just about making changes—it’s about making the right changes, for the right reasons, at the right time and that are fiscally responsible.
